And the Blue Jackets are benefitting from yet another red-hot stretch of him filling the net.

His fifth career hat trick paced Columbus to a 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes tonight, extending the team's points streak to seven games (5-0-2) and improving their overall record to 12-6-2. Artemi Panarin had three assists and Sergei Bobrovsky was solid between the pipes, making 29 saves in the victory.

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Atkinson opened the scoring by burying a Panarin pass in the first period, and he made it a 2-0 game in the second period with a clever finish in tight. He then set up the third Blue Jackets goal, a Zach Werenski wrister off the rush, and capped the hat trick with a power play goal late in the second.

After struggling with the Hurricanes in their first meeting this season (a 3-1 home opener loss at Nationwide Arena), the Blue Jackets were much better tonight. They were tidy in their own zone, their special teams were excellent, and they didn't give Carolina anything for free.

Injury Update

Panarin, Bobrovsky and Riley Nash returned to the lineup after missing Thursday's game due to illness.

Next Up

The Blue Jackets head right to Toronto from Raleigh, where they'll visit the Maple Leafs on Monday night at Scotiabank Arena.